Kano State Government has rejected the designated airline to convey its pilgrims to Saudi Arabia for 2022 Hajj.

The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) had earlier allocated Kano pilgrims to Azman Air but Kano State Government rejected the proposal.

Speaking on the development, the Executive Secretary of Kano State Pilgrims Welfare Board, Alhaji Muhammad Dambatta, said allocation of pilgrims to airlines with their inputs is against the standard practice.

Three airlines have been approved by the NAHCON for airlifting Nigeria’s pilgrims for this year’s pilgrimage.

The airlines are two domestic Max Air and Azman Air, while Saudi Arabian FlyNas is the only foreign airline to participate in this year’s Hajj.

Dambatta, said the board was surprised by NAHCON’s decision to select airlines for states which goes contrary to the established norms and practices of Hajj Operations over the years.

He explained that at their several meetings with NAHCON officials both in Mecca and Abuja, the commission told them that they have forwarded compiled names of proposed airlines to the Presidency for approvals but not allocation.

He, however, insisted that Max Air would airlift Kano pilgrims.

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“As I’m talking to you now, our stand is still on Max Air and no going back I have paid Hajj deposit money of 60 percent, we have met all the requirements and the 19th date of our commencement of airlift is sacrosanct and we have informed Max Air to get ready no going back,” he said.

The two other Airlines have already commenced airlifting pilgrims from their assigned states since June 9 but Azman has yet to commence.

Staff of pilgrims welfare board, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said: “We have already complained to NAHCON over the imposition of Azman as official Hajj carrier of my state pilgrims”.

Ha said the rejection of Azman was based on operational antecedent of the Airline and “their capacity to airlift such number of pilgrims assigned to them within the little time before the closure of King AbdulAziz international airport in Jeddah”.

“Look, I am not contending the technical criteria used by NAHCON to screen the airlines, but how can NAHCON allocate the two states with the largest number of pilgrims to a new entrant into the industry with questionable capacity and experience in Hajj airlift,” he said.

He added that the airlift of Pilgrims is not like domestic flights as it is strictly time bound.

On its part Azman Air, through its, General Manager, Alhaji Lawan Garba, said there was no such issue as rejection of Azman by states pilgrims boards.

“Though, there are some states that are used to being airlifted by other airlines in previous Hajj operations and they might not be comfortable with us owing to some reasons. But you know that it was NAHCON that assigned states to us,” Garba stated.

The Star